Book Review – Couples Who Pray

I recently had the opportunity to review a book for Book Sneeze.

Couples Who Pray

The Most Intimate Act Between A Man And A Woman

by husband and wife

SQUIRE RUSHNELL & LOUISE DU ART

“Couples Who Pray has everything you and your partner need to begin a more intimate, rewarding relationship, including simple tips that can make your marriage the best it has ever been!”

I have struggled with this review because, I really wanted to like this book, but I didn’t.

So here is the run down, easy to read… yes!

Content????

The book is written by a husband and wife team and they have a whole host of well known individuals who contributed to the book by sharing their experiences with, ‘The 40 Day Prayer Challenge.’

There are some wonderful ideas in this book, to begin with, praying together daily as a couple. I couldn’t agree more. The authors share how marriage is a 100% / 100% split. “Each partner should plan to put in 100 percent”. Again, I totally agree. My problem with this book is how they presented the material.

In the very beginning of the book the authors share their pledge;

“This is our pledge: entering into this act of intimacy on a daily basis with the one person you love more than any other will take you to a level of joy and satisfaction that you simply will not believe.”

Here begins my problem, I love my husband but that one person that I love more than any has to be God. I felt that through this book God was used as the means to the end.- A fantastic relationship with your spouse. NOT that pursuing prayer with your spouse would draw you closer to your Creator and subsequently each other. Throughout the book we are told we will have a better intimate relation with our spouse, better communication etc. it felt like a sales pitch. If we pray together everything will be better.

That is not why I pray, yes, most likely if you pray together you will have a better relationship, but I don’t think we should enter into a conversation with God for what we can get. We pray to deepen our relationship with the Creator of the universe, we pray to commune with God.

So while there are wonderful truths in this book, I really feel the authors came at this idea so wrong, they looked at what we can get, instead of coming before God simply because He is God. Anything else is just a gift from Him.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have shared are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”